This invention relates to a multi-component food product in which the individual components differ from one another in their water activity and which comprises a protective barrier against the transfer of moisture between the components.
The invention also relates to a process for producing this product and to the composition for carrying out the process.
The problem of spoilage in food products by the transfer of moisture between components of different water activity is well known. The migration of water from one of two components to the other takes place from the moment when different moisture partial pressure gradients exist between the two components. Solutions to this problem have already been proposed.
Patent application WO 86/00501 relates to an edible film with a moisture barrier based on the combination of a layer of a hydrophilic polymer, such as albumin, with a layer of a lipid adhering to that layer. This patent mentions a preformed film which is applied to a substrate to form a barrier. This solution may be considered for use in the case of fresh products. However, it is not satisfactory for products which have to be cooked or reheated because the lipids present melt during reheating and thus disrupt the barrier effect.